Blade sharpener



H.A.FABER BLADE SHARPIENER Jan. 3, 1939.

Filed July 14, 1936 INVENTOR Herberf Faber Y vrfi I H| TORNEY Patented Jan. 3, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to a blade sharpener, and more particularly to a combination hone and strop for razor blades.

To obtain a keen super-cutting edge on blades,

6 it is desirable that such blades be subjected to a preliminary honing operation and a subsequent stropping operation. This is particularly true in the case of the thin steel blades usually employed in safety razors for shaving purposes.

10' Pursuant to the present invention, I provide a sharpener for blades of the nature of safety razor blades wherein both a hone surface and a strop surface may be incorporated, together with 7 means for holding a blade and moving it'in correct operative position relative to either of the surfaces, the change from one surface to the other being made optionally and conveniently Without disengagement of any element from the combined structural entity.

Sharpeners embodying my invention are positive in action, compact in structure, convenient to handle, and permit of low cost manufacture.

Embodiments of the present invention are characterized by the provision of a blade holder' for reciprocation optionally on an individual sharpening surface of a suitable base block provided with sharpening surfaces, such reciprocation effecting, by drive means disposed adjacent 30 the surfaces and engaging blade holding means of such blade holder, pressure contact alternately between respective blade edge-faces and the particular sharpening surface concerned, such drive means permitting transfer of the blade 35 holder from. operative relationship with one surface to operative relationship with another surface without disengagement from the drive means.

, Further features and objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, together with the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 illustrates in perspective a preferred embodiment of the present invention in operative 45 position.

Figure 2 represents a side elevation of the em bodiment illustrated in Fig. 1, the side concerned being that on which the drive means is disposed. The drive means and the blade holder are shown 50 in alternative position by dotted lines.

Fig. 3 represents a vertical section taken on line, 3-3. of Fig. 2.

Fig. l represents a fragmentary vertical sec tion taken on line 44 of Fig. 3.

66 Fig. 5 is an exploded fragmentary detail View of the portion included between the indicated lines 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, at I0 is indicated a base-block comprising a hone member and sharpening surface lilo, and a strop member and 5. sharpening surface 101). Preferably, such baseblock is formed compositely by afiixing, as by gluing, to a relatively long and comparatively thick block of honing material, a sheet of leather or other suitable stropping material coextensive in length and width with the length and width of the block of honing material.

Lateral strips ll, l2, extending above and below the sharpening surfaces Illa and Iflb of the block IE] to provide pairs of tracks Ila, lZa, I6: and lib, l2b, respectively, for such surfaces, may be secured to the lateral sides of the block ll). Preferably, the central portion of the strips l I and I2 are depressed lengthwise to form tongues H0, 120, respectively, for coordination with grooves is, M, provided for the purpose centrally in the lateral sides of the block Ill. The ends of the side members ll, l2, may extend slightly beyond the ends of the base block ID to receive therebetween the pins l5, l6, respectively, such pins being riveted at their ends to secure the two side members H, l2, to each other and therewith to the block I0. Desirably, the pins 15 and I6, are disposed, respectively, in grooves H, l8, provided for the purpose in the ends of the base block I0.

A blade holder indicated at I8 is provided for reciprocation on either of the sharpening surfaces Illa, I 0b, and is adapted to hold a blade of the nature of a safety razor blade in correct sharpening relation relative to either of the stated sur- 3'5 faces during the reciprocation of the blade holder.

Such blade holder 18 advantageously includes a bifurcated frame member l9 having ends I 90., 92), adapted to ride optionally on either of the sets of tracks Ha, [2a, and lib, [21), respectively. Convexly arcuate grooves 20, 2|, at the ends I9a., 9%, respectively of the bifurcated frame member I S adapt the blade holder l8 for engagement with either set of the stated tracks, and for sliding motion thereon. A handle 22 may be provided for manual reciprocation of the blade holder H3.

The blade holder I8 includes means for holding a blade, such as the safety razor blade 23, in correct sharpening relation to either of the surfaces Illa, or Nb, and for effecting pressure contact alternately between respective blade edge faces 23!: and 23b and the particular sharpening surface selected. Such means preferably comprises a shaft 24 extending between the ends l9a, l9b, of the bifurcated frame member l9, and liljournaled therein. One of the ends of the shaft 24 extends beyond its respective end of the bifurcated frame to have rigidly mounted thereon a pulley 25, which pulley 25 engages with drive means described more fully hereinafter. Rigidly mounted on the shaft 24, between the journaled ends of such shaft, is provided suitable means for receiving and rigidly holding the blade. Such means may take the form of a spring clip 25, shown.

The drive means, above described as engaging the pulley 24, is advantageously of a flexible nature and is disposed between the sharpening surfaces I 8a, IIlb, to impress torque upon the pulley 25 and thereby upon the blade holding means 26 and the blade 23, to permit optional transfer of the blade holder I8 from one sharpening surface to the other, and vice versa, without disengagement therefrom.

Such drive means preferably includes a flexible cord 21 extending parallel to the length of the sharpening surfaces of the base-block I and substantially coextensive lengthwise therewith. The flexible cord 21 is advantageously loosely secured at its ends to end members of carrying rods 28, 29, the stated end members being indicated at 28a and 29a.

The drive means may be disposed at, and secured to, either lateral side of the base-block H1, and to this end either of the lateral strips II, I2, in the present case the lateral strip I2, is provided with ears as at'39, 3|, 32 and 33, which extend outwardly from and preferably at right angles to the depressed central portion, I20 thereof, such ears having bearing-holes at their centers adapted to receive and journal, in aligned relation to one another, the carrying rods 28, 29.

The stated carrying rods 28, 29, include shaft portions 28?), 29?), respectively, the end members 28a and 29a, respectively being preferably rightangled extensions thereof. The shaft portions 28b, 29b are journaled for semi-rotative motion within the ears 30, 3| and 32, 33, respectively. The loose securement of the flexible cord 21 at its ends to the respective end members 28a, 29b, of the carrying rods, for a purpose hereinafter explained, may be had by the provision of eyelets 34 and 35 disposed in sliding engagement on such rod end members 28a, 2%, respectively. The end members are preferably reduced in diameter substantially coextensive with their lengths to form slideways for the reception of such eyelets 34, 35, and have their free ends headed as at 28c, 290 respectively, to retain the eyelets on their respective slideways.

The flexible cord 21 is shown looped around the pulley 25 of the blade holder I8, as illustrated at 36, to establish torque and effect frictional engagement therewith. To maintain such frictional engagement to a proper degree for impressing rotative motion upon the pulley 25 and therewith upon the blade holding means 26 when the blade holder I8 is reciprocated, suitable means is provided to effect suitable tensioning of the spring 31. Such means, see Figs. 2 and 5, advantageously comprises a helical spring 31 loosely disposed on and between opposing ends 28d, 29d, of the carrying rods 28, 29, respectively. The spring 31 is maintained under a suitable degree of com pression between the freely riding washers 38, 39,

the carrying rods 28, 29 apart, the limit of separating tendency of the stated rods being set when the cotter pins 48, 4| are pressed against the ears 3|, 32, respectively. Desirably, freely riding Washers 42, 43, are disposed on the shaft portions 28b, 29b, respectively, between the cotter pins 48, 4|, and the ears 3|, 32, respectively.

Stages of operation of the illustrated embodiment of my invention are clearly indicated in the several figures of the drawing. The device is illustrated primarily from the standpoint of the stropping stage with the assumption that the blade has already undergone the preliminary honing stage indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2.

In Fig. l, the blade holder I8 is illustrated as mounted for reciprocation on the tracks IIb and I2b of the stropping surface Illb to effect stropping of the blade 23. The flexible cord 21 is looped around the pulley 25 to effect positive frictional engagement therewith, and such frictional engagement is maintained by the spreading action of the spring 31 exerted on the flexiblecord-carrying rods 28, 29. It will be noted that at this stage of the operation the closing portion of the loop 36 is located at the top of the pulley 25, and the eyelets 34 and 35, have carried the ends of the flexible cord to the upper limit of the slideways 28a, 29a, respectively, the carrying rods 28 and 29 accommodating themselves in their respective bearing ears to afford substantially vertical positioning of the stated slideways.

When the operator of the device grasps the handle 22 and reciprocates the blade holder I8 on the tracks I Ib and I22), and therewith reciprocates the blade holding means 26 and its therein secured blade 23 in sharpening relation to the stropping surface Illb, torque is impressed upon the shaft 24 to effect pressure contact alternately between the cutting surfaces 23a and 23b of the blade 23, and the stropping surface IIlb, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, the backward stroke is in the direction of the arrow A, and, for stropping purposes, the impressed torque is in the direction of arrow B, effecting pressure contact between the cutting surface 23b and the stropping surface IIla. At the end of this backward stroke, the instant reversal to the forward stroke (not illustrated) automatically reverses the direction of the torque, and carries the spring clip 26 and its therein secured blade 23 bodily in a semicircular arc to effect pressure contact between the cutting surface 23a and the stropping surface IOa. At the end of the forward stroke, the instant reversal to the backward stroke again reverses the direction of the torque and causes the spring clip 26 to execute a semi-circular arc to bring the blade cutting surface 23b again in pressure contact with the stropping surface Illa. The alternations thus produced in effecting pressure contact between the two cutting surfaces of the blade and thestropping surface IOb, serve to insure application of the same degree of pressure to both cutting surfaces, 23a and 23b, of the blade, and thus to produce a keen cutting edge thereat.

At the option of the user of the device, the blade holder I8 may be lifted from the stropping surface Illa and carried around to the opposite side of the base-block II) for engagement with the tracks Na and IZa and reciprocation relative to the honing surface I8b, as illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. It will be noted that this transfer operation is accomplished without disengagement of the pulley 25 from the flexible cord 21, the carrying rods 28 and 29 executing a semirevolution in their respective bearing ears to accommodate the rod end members 28a and 29a to the new location of the flexible cord. In this new position, the closing portion of loop 36 is at the bottom of the pulley 25 (assuming, of course, that the user so turns the base-block ID as to place the honing surface Illa uppermost), and the eyelets 34 and 35 assume a position at the lower portion of their respective slideways, all as illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 2.

' When the blade holder I8 is pushed in the direction of arrow C, torque impressed upon pulley 25 tends to rotate the blade holding means 26 and the therein secured blade 23 in the direction of arrow D to effect pressure contact between the cutting surface 23a and the honing surface Ilia. It is noted that the cutting edge of the blade 23 in this case is directed toward the direction of motion of the blade holder as is required for proper honing operation, whereas in the stropping stage, as is required therefor, the cutting edge of the blade is directed away from the direction of motion of the blade holder. Such effect, i. e. the correct operative positioning of the blade relative to the respective sharpening surface selected, is had automatically upon transfer of the blade holder l8 from one sharpening surface to the other.

Reciprocation of the blade holder, and consequent alternation between pressure contact of the respective blade cutting surfaces 23a and 23b and the honing surface lea is effected in the same manner as described hereinbefore relative to the stropping surface Iilb.

Whereas this invention has been described with reference to specific forms thereof, it is to be understood that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:-

1. In a blade sharpener, a base-block provided with sharpening surfaces, a blade holder adapted for reciprocation on individual sharpening surfaces of said base-block, supporting means journaled in said blade holder, means rigidly'carried by said supporting means for holding a blade in correct sharpening relation to the said individual sharpening surface, a frictional cord secured under tension adjacent said sharpening surfaces, said cord engaging frictionally with said supporting means for alternately urging respective cutting surfaces of the blade in pressure contact with the said individual sharpening surface when said blade holder is reciprocated, the said cord further affording optional positioning of said blade holder for reciprocation on and in proper sharpening relation with any of the said sharpening surfaces.

2. A blade sharpener including in combination a relative long composite base-block having a honing surface on one of its major faces, and a stropping surface on the opposite major face; a blade holder adapted for reciprocation on either said honing surface or said stropping surface, said blade holder comprising a bifurcated handle member the ends of which bifurcations are adapted to ride adjacent the lateral edges of either said honing or said stropping surface, a shaft journaled in and between the ends of said bifurcations and extending outwardly from one of the ends, a pulley rigidly mounted on the extension of said shaft, and a blade holding means rigidly mounted on said shaft between said bifurcated ends of the blade holder; drive means secured to said base-block and disposed between said honing and said stropping surfaces, said drive means comprising a flexible cord extending substantially the length of the base-block and engaging frict-lonally the pulley of said blade holder; and means tensioning said cord; said drive means effooting torque upon said blade holding means when saidblade holder is reciprocated, and further permitting optional transfer of said blade holder from one sharpening surface to the other.

3'. A blade sharpener comprising a base-block provided at opposite sides with sharpening surfaces; a blade holder assembly adapted for reciprocation on either of said sharpening surfaces, said blade holder assembly including handle means, supporting means journaled in said handle means, and blade holder means rigidly carried by said supporting means for holding a blade with cutting edge exposed; a flexible drive secured to the base-block adjacent the sharpening surfaces and engaging the said supporting means, for alternately urging respective cutting surfaces of the blade in pressure contact with the particular sharpening surface of the base-block concerned, the alternations being coextensive with the individual strokes of the reciprocation; said flexible drive being arranged to maintain engagement with the said supporting means during transference of the blade holder from one sharpening surface to the other.

4. A blade sharpener as recited in claim 3 wherein tracks are provided at each side of the sharpening surfaces of the base-block for guiding the reciprocation of the blade holder assembly; and wherein the supporting means comprises a rotatable shaft journaled in the handle means and extending across the width of the base-block, said shaft having a pulley rigidly mounted thereon, the said flexible drive comprising a cord maintained under tension and looped around said pulley.

5. A blade sharpener as recited in claim 3 wherein the supporting means comprises a rotatable shaft journaled in the handle means and extending across the width of the base-block, said shaft having a pulley rigidly mounted on the end which is adjacent the flexible drive, and wherein the flexible drive comprises two carrying rods aligned end to end along the length of the base-block, a spring constantly urging the said carrying rods apart, and a flexible cord connecting the remote ends of the rods and looped about the said pulley of the supporting means.

6. A blade sharpener comprising a base-block having sharpening surfaces on opposite sides thereof; a flexible drive mounted on the baser1 block between the said opposite sides thereof, said flexible drive comprising a sectional shaft mounted for rotative movement, means urging the end sections of said shaft apart longitudinally, the terminal ends of said end sections being substantially similarly angularly related to the longitudinal extension of the shaft proper and being provided with limiting slideways; a flexible frictional-drive means extending between said terminal ends, having its ends slidably secured to said slideways, and being maintained in drive imparting status by the action of said urging means; a blade holder adapted for reciprocation on either of said sharpening surfaces, said blade holder frictionally engaging said flexible drive means and, when reciprocated, adapted. to be driven thereby; the stated combination permitting optional transfer of the blade holder from one sharpening surface to the other without disengagement from the flexible drive means.

'7. A blade sharpener as recited in claim 6 wherein strips are secured to opposite lateral surfaces of the base-block between the stated sharpening surfaces, said strips projecting along their lengths substantially uniformly beyond such sharpening surfaces to form tracks at the lateral edges of the sharpening surfaces; and wherein the blade holder is rotatably mounted in a frame which may be positioned on the tracks of either sharpening surface for reciprocation therealong.

8. A blade sharpener as recited in claim 6 wherein strips aresecured to opposite lateral surfaces, at least one of said strips having a substantially central longitudinally extending tongue and groove, the tongue coinciding with a coordinating groove provided in the particular lateral surface of the base-block concerned, and ears extending from the grooved surface of the strip providing a bearing support for the stated sectional shaft which fits at least partially in the groove of the strip, said strips projecting along their lengths substantially uniformly beyond such sharpening surfaces to form tracks at the lateral edges of the sharpening surfaces; and wherein the blade holder is rotatably mounted in a frame which may be positioned on the tracks of either sharpening surface for reciprocation therealong.

HERBERT ALFRED FABER. 

